Name: Kodami Ryuki
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Occupation: homemaker, a mother of one son
Appearance: Skinny and pale white
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Very caring, motherlike, emotional, strong shinto believer.
Family: Her husband dies in Indochina while he was stationed there, and she survives from the atomic bombing.
Education: Not formally educated
Languages you speak: Japanese
Your main concerns at this time and in life: She just experienced the bombing and her husband has passed away. She has seeking some kind of internal peace from the emotional trauma she is going through.
_
Diary 1
September, 1940
Another day has passed, ever since I heard from him.
Yes, he’s far away.
In fact, he is so far away that I don’t even know where he is.
I don’t even know whether he is alive or not.
His gentle smile on his face and hands comforting me who was weeping at his moment of departure are still vivid in my memory. The moment when he departed to bring glory to our mighty Japan and honorable emperor.
He assured that he would write a letter at least once a month, which I have never received.
Every Tuesday, the day when all letters are delivered, I hoped all day long on the road lingering with Genji on my back that his letter would make its way home. But it was just merely a hope.
He finally got himself on board and wavered his arms at me. The tears that flowed down both my cheeks would not stop.
He looked good on his uniform. Oh, yes, certainly, he shined more than anyone on board.
What a good looking young man he was!
The mighty Japanese naval ship finally set sail to French Indochina with obligation to bring an honor to the nation by expanding the territory and to block China from importing weapons and fuels to Indochina.
And that was the last moment I saw him.
Within a couple months of departure, I heard that the troops my husband belonged to successfully occupied northern Indochina in the market. However, the news was not comforting.
In fact, as more letters were delivered to the neighbors informing the honorable and glorious deaths of their sons in the cold field of Manchukuo, my worry for my husband grew even larger, and started to bother me from sleeping at night. As my husband’s time away from home proceeded, Genji began to make a sentence combining different words. I told him every night stroking his head what a wonderful man his dad was. I told him that he has to grow up to be just like his father. Genji was the only source of my life in the midst of the disturbances I was going through.
Today, while waiting outside for the mailman to come as usual, he finally made the stop at my house. I couldn’t hide the thrill that aroused within me. The mailman looked at me weird.
I hurriedly opened the envelope. It wasn’t from my husband. It was from my mother who lives in Tokyo (Reece Kim) concerning for me.
Dear, Kodami,
It’s been a long time since I wrote you a letter. The nation is going through the disturbing moment. I can feel the tension between the U.S. and Japan here in Tokyo. I can’t possibly imagine what you are going through right now at this moment without Makami (husband). But, remember, we women, wives, and moms, need to stay strong. The mighty Japan empire will see the sunrise once this fog in front of us clears up.
Sincerely, Mom
It wasn’t from my husband, but the unanticipated words of encouragement from my mother made my day, and relived me from the exhausting agony I was going through for a moment.
_
Diary 2
December 7, 1941
I saw the first snow of the year today.
I heard from the neighbor that it was the first snow in seventeen years.
The crystalline frost on the ground whitened and cleansed my heart that was filled with
-anger, hatred, loneliness, and hopelessness.
Many things have changed since that day - my life, my entire life.
It was one Tuesday morning couple months ago. As usual, I had Genji on my back waiting for the mailman to come.
Oddly Genji wouldn’t stop wailing that morning as if he had already anticipated the tragic news that awaited us.
Soon the mailman in his thick winter coat appeared on the horizon, and started to pass out the mails that filled every single space of his bag.
He made the stop in front of the our mailbox.
“You’ve got mail today ma’am”, said the mailman.
“Yes, finally! I have waited for this to come for centuries”, I exclaimed.
I hurriedly and carefully ripped the envelope and took out the folded letter that had the symbol of Japanese navy stamped in front.
At the moment, I instinctively started to feel anxious. Something wicked was approaching.
My fingers started to shiver and Genji started to cry even louder.
I hesitantly unfolded the paper.
Dear. Kodami Ryuki,
This letter is to inform you about the honorable and glorious death of your husband, Nagano Ryuki at the battle on the coast of French Indochina in 1941. Be proud of the death of your husband. He has brought a glory to our nation and your family. His service to our nation will always be remembered.
I sank down on the floor.
I couldn’t even cry. I had no words coming out of my mouth. Only Genji cried.
From deep inside, my hatred toward my nation, the useless government, and the emperor began to germinate.
“‘How can I possibly be proud of his death. He’s gone.--He’s gone forever. Gone. Gone.
After my husband’s full devotion to this nation, all he is rewarded with is death.” I shouted with extreme resentment.
I lost the purpose in living.
The only thing that barely kept me alive was Genji, my precious boy.
Today, I went to the market to get something to feed Genji, and encountered a guy who was dressed up in nicely ironed army uniform proclaiming the all mighty Japanese air force’s successful attack of Pearl Harbor. He was the official from the Japanese army(Sukwon Shin). Suddenly my hatred toward the Japanese military erupted. And I threw the egg that was on my hand. It flew right to him and hit him on the back and cracked. He suddenly turned back and we had a brief eye contact. I avoided it and hid behind the crowd.
He disgusted me. How could he proudly proclaim how many Americans were sunken down under the ocean?
The war was no more an honor to this nation. It was a total disgrace.
_
Diary 3
February 1943
It seemed as if the war was over. Many men in our town who have been out abroad for many years fighting started to come back.
This man living next door came back today from Indochina after spending two years fighting. He and my husband were on the same ship when they left.
Even though it has been only two years, his look has changed a lot. He looked much older and his face was a bit tanned. He had grown a beard also.
I asked him if he ever was in contact with my husband when he was there.
He told me that as soon as they arrived at the northern part of the Indochina, they were separated into different troops.
And he never saw him ever since. Then he continued talking about how horrible fighting in Indochina was.
Most of the battles against the French troops took place in the middle of the jungle and the Japanese soldiers were not used to fighting in such environment.
Many of the soldiers were shot dead in front of him not even knowing where the bullets were coming from.
He also talked about how they did not have much to eat.
Nothing edible was available in the jungle. Absolutely nothing. Nothing.
Many soldiers who had been starved for days even ate the the flesh of the dead soldiers.
My eyes became teary imagining what Nagano would have gone through.
It was absolutely gross and sad listening to what he was saying. Yet what disgusted me the most was not his description of the war, but his way of saying.
His words were full of arrogance and brutality. He proudly talked about how painfully and brutally tortured some of the French soldiers caught in captive.
"Why is being inhuman and hostile something to be proud of?" I questioned myself.
He also told me that it wasn't too far away for Japan to take over the world. Most of the nations and people in Pacific Asia and Southern Asia have already surrendered and the only nation left to conquer was the United States.
In my mind the expansion of the Japanese territory by conquering the nations was not really worth it. How many precious lives of young Japanese men had to be sacrificed?
While the conversation continued, the mailman handed me the letter. It was a mail from Indochina.
I quickly opened up the envelope and started to read.
Dear. Kodami Ryuki,
Kodami, my name isAmelie Barnard(Mikaella Hahn) . I am a French woman who is in charge of the rubber plantation here in Indochina. I have developed a good friendship with your husband, Nagano Ryuki, while he was here. He told me before he passed away in the battle to write you a letter for him. He was a good man. Unlike other barbarian Japanese soldiers, he was a man of integrity and honor. While other Japanese soldiers treated the comfort women as if they were inferior than animals, he fed them and took good care of them. He seemed to be the only human in his troop. I am sorry to tell you about his death, but know that your husband was a good man who fought hard for his country.
Sincerely, Amelie Barnard
After reading the letter from this lady, I felt a little better. At least I can tell my son that his father was a man of integrity and honor.
_
Diary 4
August 8, 1945
Everything was gone. The entire city. The houses. Everything was gone. Literally everything.
I was speechless.
It was a ordinary Monday morning.
I was on my way back down to the village after praying for the war to end peacefully and mourning for those who died at Kikoku Shinto shrine up on the mountain.
Because the shrine was located on the peak of the mountain, it took me a quite a long time for me to make my way down with Genji on my back.
About one third the way down, I witnessed a sudden flash in the distance. The flash disappeared within a second. It was from the village. Soon a mushroom-like
Wondering about what the light flash was, I hurriedly made my way down.
As I got closer to the ground level, I started to smell the weird odor. It smelled like some kind of chemical.
I couldn't believe my eyes as I more closely approached the city.
The destroyed buildings, the burning houses, the ashes, the disfigured bodies lying all over.
It was the most horrific scene I have ever witnessed. I was speechless for a minute.
“If there exists a god, how could you let this happen?” I whispered to myself.
I couldn’t even tell where the roads and buildings were.
Some people luckily survived through the bombing because many of them were up in the mountain like I did, or in the basement of the concrete buildings that were firmly constructed to resist the earthquake.
Those who survived started to come out. Many of them were bleeding. However, the scenery they encountered made them forget about their bleeding and wounds.
Everything was gone.
No one weeped. Only the silence. That’s all I remember from that morning.
I then blacked out.
I woke up to find myself in the hospital bed. Genji was sleeping next to me. I found out that I was at the hospital built temporarily just outside of Hiroshima.
The nurse who was from Tokyo asked me if I was alright. I still wasn’t aware of what happened.
From the radio I found out that the United States plane called Enola Gay had dropped an atomic bomb called the “little boy” on Hiroshima.
A few days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and the emperor finally surrendered to the United States.
The war was over.
Many months later, a group of Americans visited the hospital I was in to get the glimpse of what the atomic bomb they had dropped on us had done.
Among the visitors was a guy named Paul Tibbets(Alex Lee) . He was the one who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
When he passed by my bed, I grabbed his hands.
“I know you are the one who is responsible for the tragedy we experienced. But I know that you only did what you were told to do. I want to forgive you.” I said.
I had to forgive him for the new fresh start. My life would have been more depressing if it was dominated by the anger and hate.
I have decided to move back to Tokyo where my families are. I just wish that my future is brighter.
Name: Kodami Ryuki
Age: 26
Gender: Female
Occupation: homemaker, a mother of one son
Appearance: Skinny and pale white
Location: Hiroshima, Japan
Personality/Quirks/Unique Personality Traits: Very caring, motherlike, emotional, strong shinto believer.
Family: Her husband dies in Indochina while he was stationed there, and she survives from the atomic bombing.
Education: Not formally educated
Languages you speak: Japanese
Your main concerns at this time and in life: She just experienced the bombing and her husband has passed away. She has seeking some kind of internal peace from the emotional trauma she is going through.
_
Diary 1
September, 1940
Another day has passed, ever since I heard from him.
Yes, he’s far away.
In fact, he is so far away that I don’t even know where he is.
I don’t even know whether he is alive or not.
His gentle smile on his face and hands comforting me who was weeping at his moment of departure are still vivid in my memory. The moment when he departed to bring glory to our mighty Japan and honorable emperor.
He assured that he would write a letter at least once a month, which I have never received.
Every Tuesday, the day when all letters are delivered, I hoped all day long on the road lingering with Genji on my back that his letter would make its way home. But it was just merely a hope.
He finally got himself on board and wavered his arms at me. The tears that flowed down both my cheeks would not stop.
He looked good on his uniform. Oh, yes, certainly, he shined more than anyone on board.
What a good looking young man he was!
The mighty Japanese naval ship finally set sail to French Indochina with obligation to bring an honor to the nation by expanding the territory and to block China from importing weapons and fuels to Indochina.
And that was the last moment I saw him.
Within a couple months of departure, I heard that the troops my husband belonged to successfully occupied northern Indochina in the market. However, the news was not comforting.
In fact, as more letters were delivered to the neighbors informing the honorable and glorious deaths of their sons in the cold field of Manchukuo, my worry for my husband grew even larger, and started to bother me from sleeping at night. As my husband’s time away from home proceeded, Genji began to make a sentence combining different words. I told him every night stroking his head what a wonderful man his dad was. I told him that he has to grow up to be just like his father. Genji was the only source of my life in the midst of the disturbances I was going through.
Today, while waiting outside for the mailman to come as usual, he finally made the stop at my house. I couldn’t hide the thrill that aroused within me. The mailman looked at me weird.
I hurriedly opened the envelope. It wasn’t from my husband. It was from my mother who lives in Tokyo (Reece Kim) concerning for me.
Dear, Kodami,
It’s been a long time since I wrote you a letter. The nation is going through the disturbing moment. I can feel the tension between the U.S. and Japan here in Tokyo. I can’t possibly imagine what you are going through right now at this moment without Makami (husband).
But, remember, we women, wives, and moms, need to stay strong.
The mighty Japan empire will see the sunrise once this fog in front of us clears up.
Sincerely,
Mom
It wasn’t from my husband, but the unanticipated words of encouragement from my mother made my day, and relived me from the exhausting agony I was going through for a moment.
_
Diary 2
December 7, 1941
I saw the first snow of the year today.
I heard from the neighbor that it was the first snow in seventeen years.
The crystalline frost on the ground whitened and cleansed my heart that was filled with
-anger, hatred, loneliness, and hopelessness.
Many things have changed since that day - my life, my entire life.
It was one Tuesday morning couple months ago. As usual, I had Genji on my back waiting for the mailman to come.
Oddly Genji wouldn’t stop wailing that morning as if he had already anticipated the tragic news that awaited us.
Soon the mailman in his thick winter coat appeared on the horizon, and started to pass out the mails that filled every single space of his bag.
He made the stop in front of the our mailbox.
“You’ve got mail today ma’am”, said the mailman.
“Yes, finally! I have waited for this to come for centuries”, I exclaimed.
I hurriedly and carefully ripped the envelope and took out the folded letter that had the symbol of Japanese navy stamped in front.
At the moment, I instinctively started to feel anxious. Something wicked was approaching.
My fingers started to shiver and Genji started to cry even louder.
I hesitantly unfolded the paper.
Dear. Kodami Ryuki,
This letter is to inform you about the honorable and glorious death of your husband, Nagano Ryuki at the battle on the coast of French Indochina in 1941. Be proud of the death of your husband. He has brought a glory to our nation and your family. His service to our nation will always be remembered.
I sank down on the floor.
I couldn’t even cry. I had no words coming out of my mouth. Only Genji cried.
From deep inside, my hatred toward my nation, the useless government, and the emperor began to germinate.
“‘How can I possibly be proud of his death. He’s gone.--He’s gone forever. Gone. Gone.
After my husband’s full devotion to this nation, all he is rewarded with is death.” I shouted with extreme resentment.
I lost the purpose in living.
The only thing that barely kept me alive was Genji, my precious boy.
Today, I went to the market to get something to feed Genji, and encountered a guy who was dressed up in nicely ironed army uniform proclaiming the all mighty Japanese air force’s successful attack of Pearl Harbor. He was the official from the Japanese army(Sukwon Shin). Suddenly my hatred toward the Japanese military erupted. And I threw the egg that was on my hand. It flew right to him and hit him on the back and cracked. He suddenly turned back and we had a brief eye contact. I avoided it and hid behind the crowd.
He disgusted me. How could he proudly proclaim how many Americans were sunken down under the ocean?
The war was no more an honor to this nation. It was a total disgrace.
_
Diary 3
February 1943
It seemed as if the war was over. Many men in our town who have been out abroad for many years fighting started to come back.
This man living next door came back today from Indochina after spending two years fighting. He and my husband were on the same ship when they left.
Even though it has been only two years, his look has changed a lot. He looked much older and his face was a bit tanned. He had grown a beard also.
I asked him if he ever was in contact with my husband when he was there.
He told me that as soon as they arrived at the northern part of the Indochina, they were separated into different troops.
And he never saw him ever since. Then he continued talking about how horrible fighting in Indochina was.
Most of the battles against the French troops took place in the middle of the jungle and the Japanese soldiers were not used to fighting in such environment.
Many of the soldiers were shot dead in front of him not even knowing where the bullets were coming from.
He also talked about how they did not have much to eat.
Nothing edible was available in the jungle. Absolutely nothing. Nothing.
Many soldiers who had been starved for days even ate the the flesh of the dead soldiers.
My eyes became teary imagining what Nagano would have gone through.
It was absolutely gross and sad listening to what he was saying. Yet what disgusted me the most was not his description of the war, but his way of saying.
His words were full of arrogance and brutality. He proudly talked about how painfully and brutally tortured some of the French soldiers caught in captive.
"Why is being inhuman and hostile something to be proud of?" I questioned myself.
He also told me that it wasn't too far away for Japan to take over the world. Most of the nations and people in Pacific Asia and Southern Asia have already surrendered and the only nation left to conquer was the United States.
In my mind the expansion of the Japanese territory by conquering the nations was not really worth it. How many precious lives of young Japanese men had to be sacrificed?
While the conversation continued, the mailman handed me the letter. It was a mail from Indochina.
I quickly opened up the envelope and started to read.
Dear. Kodami Ryuki,
Kodami, my name is Amelie Barnard(Mikaella Hahn) . I am a French woman who is in charge of the rubber plantation here in Indochina. I have developed a good friendship with your husband, Nagano Ryuki, while he was here. He told me before he passed away in the battle to write you a letter for him. He was a good man. Unlike other barbarian Japanese soldiers, he was a man of integrity and honor. While other Japanese soldiers treated the comfort women as if they were inferior than animals, he fed them and took good care of them. He seemed to be the only human in his troop. I am sorry to tell you about his death, but know that your husband was a good man who fought hard for his country.
Sincerely,
Amelie Barnard
After reading the letter from this lady, I felt a little better. At least I can tell my son that his father was a man of integrity and honor.
_
Diary 4
August 8, 1945
Everything was gone. The entire city. The houses. Everything was gone. Literally everything.
I was speechless.
It was a ordinary Monday morning.
I was on my way back down to the village after praying for the war to end peacefully and mourning for those who died at Kikoku Shinto shrine up on the mountain.
Because the shrine was located on the peak of the mountain, it took me a quite a long time for me to make my way down with Genji on my back.
About one third the way down, I witnessed a sudden flash in the distance. The flash disappeared within a second. It was from the village. Soon a mushroom-like
Wondering about what the light flash was, I hurriedly made my way down.
As I got closer to the ground level, I started to smell the weird odor. It smelled like some kind of chemical.
I couldn't believe my eyes as I more closely approached the city.
The destroyed buildings, the burning houses, the ashes, the disfigured bodies lying all over.
It was the most horrific scene I have ever witnessed. I was speechless for a minute.
“If there exists a god, how could you let this happen?” I whispered to myself.
I couldn’t even tell where the roads and buildings were.
Some people luckily survived through the bombing because many of them were up in the mountain like I did, or in the basement of the concrete buildings that were firmly constructed to resist the earthquake.
Those who survived started to come out. Many of them were bleeding. However, the scenery they encountered made them forget about their bleeding and wounds.
Everything was gone.
No one weeped. Only the silence. That’s all I remember from that morning.
I then blacked out.
I woke up to find myself in the hospital bed. Genji was sleeping next to me. I found out that I was at the hospital built temporarily just outside of Hiroshima.
The nurse who was from Tokyo asked me if I was alright. I still wasn’t aware of what happened.
From the radio I found out that the United States plane called Enola Gay had dropped an atomic bomb called the “little boy” on Hiroshima.
A few days later, another bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, and the emperor finally surrendered to the United States.
The war was over.
Many months later, a group of Americans visited the hospital I was in to get the glimpse of what the atomic bomb they had dropped on us had done.
Among the visitors was a guy named Paul Tibbets(Alex Lee) . He was the one who dropped the bomb on Hiroshima.
When he passed by my bed, I grabbed his hands.
“I know you are the one who is responsible for the tragedy we experienced. But I know that you only did what you were told to do. I want to forgive you.” I said.
I had to forgive him for the new fresh start. My life would have been more depressing if it was dominated by the anger and hate.
I have decided to move back to Tokyo where my families are. I just wish that my future is brighter.